Book-rest



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-D-. C. LEHMAN. BOOK REST.

N0. 490,569. Patented Jan. 24, 1893.

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110. LEHMAN.

BOOK REST.

No. 490,569. Patented Jan.- 24, 1893.

Witnesses:

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DANIEL O. LEHMAN, OF FULTONVILLE, NEW YORK.

BOOK-REST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,569, dated January24, 1893.

Application filed Tune 30, 1892.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL O. LEHMAN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Fultonville, in the county of Montgomeryand State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBook-Rests; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of the book rest. Fig.2is a perspective view of same in folded position. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of one of the holders. Fig. 4 is perspective detail oflower rear portion of rest B. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the notchedplate. Fig. 6 is a view of cushion on under side of base. Fig. 7 is aperspective 'view of rest in modified form.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements inbook rests, and it consists in the novel construction and combination ofparts, all as hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings, the letterA designates a wooden base orsupport, having therein a central elongated slot a, through which isinserted a screw 12, by means of which said base is secured to a desk ortable. Said screw works loosely in the slot, so that the holder may beadjusted nearer to or farther away from the user, as maybe desired. Thisfeature may however be omitted, and the base left unfastened, as shownin Fig. 7.

The holder properin the construction shown in Fig. 1 consists of threepieces of wire, one piece B forming the rest for the back of the book,and the other two pieces 0, O, forming the holder for the lower frontportion of the book. The wire B is bent to form the two parallelvertical arms 0, 0, having angular lower portions 0 loosely or pivotallysecured one at each side to the rear corner of the base by a notchedmetallic plate D, as shown. At the upper end of each arm 0, c, is formeda small spring coil E, and from each of these coils, the wire extendsdownwardly and forwardly to form the oblique arms d, d, the lower endsof which extend nearly to the base, where they are connected by thetransverse portion a,

Serial No. 438,579. (No model.)

which at its central portion is bent upwardly to form an invertedU-shaped loop f. The wires 0, O, are located one near each lateral edgeof the base, being secured thereto at their rear portions by passingloosely under the plate D, and at their forward portions by smallstaples g. At their forward ends they are each bent upwardly andslightly rearward to form the curved arms h, h. The book isheld with itslower edge between the said arms h, h, and the spring loop formed by thearms (Z, (Z, and their connecting portion, said loop also supporting theback of the book. Owing to the spring character of this loop it isenabled to hold books of different thicknesses.

For convenience in packing, and in order that it may occupy less spacewhen not in use, I have designed the parts to fold into close contactwith the base as indicated in Fig. 2. In order to accomplish this thespring loop or support is pressed back between the arms 0, c, and thewhole is then folded over forwardly upon the base. The wires 0, O, whichare loosely held to the base, as above stated, are also folded byturning them inwardly toward each other, with the arms h, h, inhorizontal position. For the purpose of holding these arms vertical whenthe rest is in use, I provide the rear ends of the wires 0, O, withangular portions is, which upon a forward endwise movement of saidWires, are drawn into engagement with small slots or notches it in therear edge of the plate D. Before said arms can be turned down intofolded position, it is therefore necessary to disengage the portions 7r.from said notches or slots. The under surface of the base may beprovided with cushions p to prevent injury to the surface of the desk ortable. In Fig. 7 I have shown a rest of similar form, with the exceptionthat it is not adapted to collapse or fold, and can therefore be formedfrom a single piece of wire. This wire is secured to the base by bendingangular horizontal portions in. therein, over which are driven staplesm, as indicated. In this form the spring coils are omitted, the inherentelasticity of the wire aided by the bends M, which connect said loop tothe vertical arms a, 0, giving the loop sufficient spring.

The invention will fit to scholars,

be found of great beneand others for the following reasons: It serves tohold the book, or other printed or Written matter at the proper distancefrom the eyes, obviating the necessity of bending over to fix the eyesthereon, which is the great cause of the prevalence of myopia and roundshoulders in the young. It also does away with the necessity for thescholar to constantly handle the book, thereby causing the book toremain in good condition for a longer time. It also gives more room uponthe desk for Writing, and other purposes. The cost of manufacture is butslight.

Having described this invention, What I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent 1. The herein described book rest, comprising the baseboard or block, the horizontal wires 0, O, secured thereto, one neareach lateral edge, and terminating at their forward ends in upwardlyturned arms h, h, serving to hold the lower front portion of the book,the vertical parallel single Wire arms a, c, rising from said base, andan integral transverse spring loop connecting the upper ends of saidarms, said loop extending downward and forward obliquely to within ashort distance of the arms h, h, and serving as a support for the backof the book, said loop being free at its lower portion, whereby it mayyield to receive different sizes of books, substantially as specitied.

2. The combination of the base, the arms 0, c, loosely secured thereto,said arms having the spring coils at their upper ends, the spring loopdepending from the upper end of said arms and extending forwardlytherefrom, and the Wires 0, O, loosely secured to the base and formed attheir forward ends with upwardly turned arms h, h, said parts beingdesigned to collapse or fold in the manner as specified.

3. The combination with the base having means whereby it may be adjustably secured to a desk or table, and the notched plateD secured tothe rear edge thereof, of the Wire arms 0, c, loosely secured to thebase by said plate, the depending oblique spring loop carried by saidarms, and the wires 0, O, loosely held to the base and formed with thearms h, It, said parts being arranged to fold or collapse as specified,and means for locking the arms h, h, in upright position While in use,substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL G. LEHMAN. XVitnesses:

LORENZO V. PEEK, O. F. CONABLE.

